At least 12 people have died in the Solomon Islands
after a tsunami swept ashore following a strong undersea earthquake in the South
Pacific.

The main town in the western Solomons, Gizo, was hit by waves several metres
high that swamped buildings and washed people out to sea, officials said.

Local officials fear the numbers of dead could rise, with reports of outlying
villages being destroyed.

The quake measured 8.0 and hit at 0740 local time on Monday (2040 GMT
Sunday).

________________________________________________________________

Via PACWIN

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Women
Challenged to Change Attitudes by Josephine Teakeni
(VBMS)

On International Women’s Day,
hundreds
of women marched through the street of Honiara from
Lawson Tama to the CulturalVillage, led
by "women in uniform" – women from the police, prison service and customs
service.

A
number of light entertainment features were organised together with the moving
dramatisation of hardships
faced by many Solomon Island women on a daily basis, while a range of speakers
including There was speeches by Dr Junelyn Pikacha, Nanette Tutuo and Janet
Tuhaika addressed the themes Gender Violence and Reproductive Health, Women's
role in business management, and the National Women's Development
Policy.

Former Permanent
Secretary (PS) for Women, and the current PS of the Fisheries Department,
Ethel Sigimanu (pictured left) issued a direct challenge to the government and
churches of Solomon
Islands to
do more to address Gender Violence:

"For
far too long those who commit violence against women and girls have been allowed
to get away with the crimes they have committed. This is due to several
factors. Within our Solomon
Islands
context, our cultural values and practices play a major role in excusing the
perpetrator from being punished for the violence the person has caused. If
our culture must demand reconciliation, then it must be based on addressing the
need of the victim rather than one that is meant to satisfy only the
reconciliation parties. We must operate with a baseline assumption that
not all traditions are good and are to be protected.”

Discriminatory
traditions that violate women's human rights, said Sigimanu need to be changed,
and she noted that sadly churches, which have important influence in Solomon
Island communities is not taking a strong enough stand against
violence.

Sigimanu
also served a reminder of the obligations of the state: “The Government itself
cannot be excused. How much work has it done on the much talked about
Violence Against Women's Policy? How much work has it done to ensure that
CEDAW is firmly grounded into our domestic laws? How awareness has it done
on the subject of human rights at the community level? How much work has
it done to see that the National Women's Policy and the institutional and legal
framework adequately cater for addressing the issue of gender violence?
How much recognition and support is Government giving to women's NGOs and civil
society organizations raising awareness throughout
Solomon
Islands. The
Government has an obligation to guarantee rights and ensure protection under
law. This is a responsibility that the statement simply cannot shy away
from."

And she also challenged civil
society: “Have
we given the issue of gender violence enough emphasis? Are we
collaborating enough? What happened to the word partnerships? Are we
sharing our resources, ideas, plans, vision for elimating violence against
women? What role is each of us playing and how can be all work together to
play a more enhancing role? "

Sigimanu
called on the women of Solomon
Islands to
celebrate March 8th with a difference – as a day of empowerment,
unity and one that reiterates that women's rights are human rights.